Sir
Albert reveals an intimate view of the conservative leadership. His enthusiasm
for political life makes him a fascinating and incisive chronicler of the inner
workings of government. Sir Malcolm Rifkind recounts in his Foreword, that Sir
Albert

......
was a great champion of the fishing industry of the North-East of Scotland and
this, rightly, led to him being referred to as the ‘Buchan Bulldog’. It was a
reference both to his physical appearance and to his tenacity. He was as happy
with the title as Margaret Thatcher was with being known as the ‘Iron Lady’.

His energy and enthusiasm was not confined to
his own constituency. He championed the people of Gibraltar and their
entitlement to remain British, for many years; chaired Parliamentary scrutiny
committees at the Speaker’s request, and has done valuable charitable work.

ONE of Scotland's most colourful MPs of the 1980s has published his memoirs at the age of 95.

Sir Albert McQuarrie earned the nickname the Buchan Bulldog as MP for East Aberdeenshire, Banff and Buchan for his staunch support for the Scottish fishing industry during his two terms at Westminster during the Thatcher era.

In A Lifetime of Memories and published by The Memoir Club, Sir Albert tells the story of how he rose from being an apprentice plumber to set up his own business after serving in the Second World War and later become a councillor in Gourock.

He first stood for Parliament in 1966 but did not win a seat until 1979, when he was one of 21 Scottish Conservative MPs elected as the Tories seized power under Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

He won the previously SNP-held seat by 558 votes and retained it four years later before losing to a highly-rated young Nationalist called Alex Salmond in 1987. Sir Albert was responsible for introducing regulations improving safety on board fishing vessels.

In his foreword to the book, former Scottish Secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind describes Sir Albert - now retired and living in Aberdeenshire - as a "splendid colleague".

Recalled his reputation as the Buchan Bulldog, he adds: "He was as happy with the title as Margaret Thatcher was with being known as the Iron Lady."

In Quest of a Fairer Society - Stan Newens A fascinating political biography of a rare vintage...’

BOOK LAUNCH

Beginning with his working-class upbringing in Bethnal Green, Stan Newens describes his education at state schools and University College London where he obtained a history degree. After working as a coal-miner for four years in lieu of national service he has spent his life in public service, as a teacher and parliamentarian. He describes his time in Parliament with a perceptive political commentary, recounting his relationships and views.

He was always seen as a left-winger and was a founder member of the Tribune Group of Labour MPs. In 1956 he was active in the campaign against the Suez expedition and, in the House of Commons, he opposed supporting US involvement in Vietnam. Throughout his career he supported innumerable international causes and strongly opposed Soviet intervention in Hungary in 1956 and Czechoslovakia in 1968.

In Quest of a Fairer Society is the account of a life dedicated to a cause but characterised by loyalty and commitment to family, friends and the community in general. It is also a very revealing commentary on the social and political life of the period and of interest to politicians, lay readers students and many others.

Author

Arthur Stanley Newens, known as Stan Newens, was born 4 February 1930. He is a former British Labour Co-operative politician and Member of Parliament (MP) and Member of the European Parliament (MEP).

Stan Newens received a History degree at University College London and became a schoolteacher. He held several posts in the National Union of Teachers and was Chair of the Movement for Colonial Freedom and President of London Co-operative Society.

In 1949 he joined the Labour Party, and is still a member. Newens represented Epping 1964-70 and Harlow 1974-83 in Parliament. He became MEP for the London Central constituency in 1984, sitting until 1999. He held several senior positions including Vice-Chair of the PLP Foreign Affairs Group; Chair and Deputy Leader of the Labour Group of MEPs.

Newens has been an active trade unionist and co-operator and has written numerous pamphlets, books and articles, including The Case Against NATO [1972] Third World: Change or Chaos [1977], A History of Struggle: 50th Anniversary of Liberation, formerly the Movement for Colonial Freedom [2004] and A Short History of London Co-op Political Committee [1988]. He is also a local historian of Essex and East London: his book A History of North Weald Bassett & Its People was published in 1985 and his study of Arthur Morrison was published in 2008.

Lord Mackenzie - Two Lives Of BrianIN THE PRESSLord Mackenzie described navigating parliamentary lobbying rules as “walking on eggshells”, but denied any wrongdoing. “I’m very meticulous about what I do and what I don’t do and make sure that I’m not crossing the boundary. When I left that interview, I checked the code of conduct in the House of Lords and I came to the decision that it was very near the mark and I immediately emailed the people who did the interviewing and I said that I’m not interested.” The Independent Now available as a PDF £7.50email memoirclub@msn.com

What the author says about The Memoir ClubeBooks - I think it is brilliant – It is a great addition to your portfolio of services and should assist your growth. Well done and many thanks! Brian, Lord Mackenzie of Framwellgate OBE Foreword by Sir John Stevens QPM LL.BTwo Lives
of Brianpublished in
2004 by The Memoir Club and on Kindle 2013.This book chronicles an extraordinary journey from the
back streets of the north east of England to the House of Lords. The story is
of a child born into a working class family in Darlington, County Durham who
soon decided he was dissatisfied with his lot and through sheer determination,
strength and humour joined Durham Constabulary and embarked on a truly
remarkable career.

Brian relates
how his ability to communicate and his voracious study of the law allowed him
to rise through the ranks from rural beat bobby to chief superintendent. Quite
properly restricted as a police officer, his political ambitions were realised
when he was elected National President of the Police Superintendents’
Association of England and Wales in 1995.

He describes
how this position allowed him to raise the Association’s profile, influence
events and really make a difference to the legal system. By working alongside
Tory Michael Howard and his successor, New Labour’s Jack Straw, Brian developed
the plan for a paedophile register which resulted in the Sex Offenders’ Act of
1997. He went on to campaign for the abolition of the ‘right to silence’ and the
removal of the ‘double jeopardy’ defence resulting in a change in the law in
both cases to the advantage of the victims of crime. He continues this struggle
as a Labour Peer in the House of Lords.

Two Lives of
Brian is written with humour and vigour and allows Brian to give his side of
the story, when he found himself the victim of a ‘honey trap’ sleaze campaign
by the now totally discredited and defunct News of the World tabloid Sunday
newspaper.

Brian Mackenzie has made a huge contribution to policing in Britain. As a serving police officer, as President of the Superintendents' Association and as a forceful contributor to debates in the House of Lords he has been at the forefront of many of the controversial issues which have characterised the politics of law and order over the last thirty years. He has written a very entertaining account of those experiences, which will be enjoyed by all who read about it.

The Right Honourable Michael Howard QC MPBrian's work as President of the Police Superintendents' Association, detailed in these pages, had an important impact on government policies towards tackling crime. But, as the book shows, he has always been a colourful character and able to combine his serious role with good humour.

The Right Honourable Jack Straw MPBrian Mackenzie has spent his life in public service, as a police officer, Superintendents' leader and parliamentarian. This memoir is a good read, evocative of working class life in the 1950s and 1960s and the changes in policing over the years. Brian is a good man and a fine parliamentarian and his memoirs reflect that history.

The Right Honourable David Blunkett MP

Brian Mackenzie is a colourful, larger than life character and I am very pleased to say that this book does him justice. It is a modestly written account of a man whose life has been characterised by achievement but who remains someone who understands the value of friendship, loyalty and commitment to others.

John, Lord Stevens of Kirkwhelpington QPM LLB Former Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service

Peter Horsfall - Hard To Believe Too Old At Sixteen

AUTHORWhen Peter Horsfall tried to join the Royal Marines in 1946
he found it hard to believe that he was Too Old At Sixteen. He then turned to
the Coldstream Guards and joined as a drummer boy. Thirty four illustrious
years later he retired as a Major Quartermaster, having served in several
‘theatres of war’, from Malaya to Northern Ireland.

Mixing humour with pathos he provides a fascinating account
of his service life – his Yorkshire roots always evident. Upon retirement from
the Coldstream Guards he became Staff Superintendent at the House of Lords. His
numerous anecdotes of well-known public figures, including a fascinating
perspective on Baroness Thatcher, give a unique behind-the-scenes picture of
this great institution.

Throughout the book Peter Horsfall credits his success to
the Coldstream Guards and is proud to have lived up to the regiment’s motto,
Second To None.

This is a delightful and highly readable autobiography complemented
beautifully by Bill Tidy’s apposite cartoons.

Covers his life from joining the Guards as a youngster, working up through the ranks to Major, to his years as Staff Superintendent at the House of Lords. Full of annecdotes about army colleagues and encounters with noted political and royal figures - not just lords, but also Thatcher, Heseltine, and others. An enjoyable and interesting read.

A Customer

A highly entertaining read- look forward to the sequel-

A rags to riches story. An insightful book full of witty anecdotes about military life followed by a life of hobnobbing with celebrities and politicians. This new writer clearly has a promising future. He is a credit to his regiment.

A Customer

Sir David Mitchell - From House To HouseForeword by Matthew Parris

'good natured
account of this part of that bigger story should be read as the tonic to
Margaret Thatcher's gin.'

Despite leaving school at
sixteen with few qualifications, David Mitchell achieved success in not one,
but two concurrent careers.

David
Mitchell was born in 1928, son of James Mitchell and Mona Elizabeth Blackett
née Bower. He was educated at Aldenham and chose market gardening as a career.
He became a member of Transport and General Workers’ Union and was awarded a
scholarship to their summer school.

His political career carried him
from back bench MP for Basingstoke to become one of Margaret Thatcher’s
Ministers. His portfolios included Small Business Policy, Local Government in
Northern Ireland to Transport Minister, covering British Rail, Buses, Aviation,
Ports, Shipping and the Channel Tunnel, also negotiations which opened the way
for the cut price airlines now beloved by millions of travellers.

He
was a member of the strife-torn St Pancras Borough Council from 1956-59; MP for
Basingstoke 1964-83 and for North West
Hampshire 1983-97, Opposition Whip 1965-67. He was Parliamentary Under
Secretary of State for: Industry 1979-81, Northern Ireland 1981-83, Transport
1983-86 and from 1986-88 he held the position of Minister of State for
Transport.

Except during his Ministerial
period, he was for many years joint MD and then Chairman of El Vino wine
merchants with also their famous Fleet Street watering hole.

The reader is invited to
accompany Sir David on his journey through a life dedicated to his passions for
politics and wine. As we progress, much inside information is imparted, spiced
with humour and anecdote, making the book accessible and enjoyable for the
enthusiast, the lay reader and student alike.

Sir
David is a Member of the Worshipful Company of Vintners, being Swan Warden in
1989 and Master in 1992.

...good natured account of this part of that bigger story should be read as the tonic to Margaret Thatcher's gin.

Matthew Parris (Foreword)

... contains a raft of anecdotes from a political career which lasted more than three decades.....the best bits of the book were the chapters detailing David's Ministerial career during the Thatcher years, where between 1979 and 1988 he served at Industry, Northern Ireland and then Transport, which is where I first met him in my early days as a lobbyist for the ports industry. His recollections of the way government was run in those days provide a welcome contrast to the shambles that exists today.Iain Dale's Diary

Over the break I’ve been looking at, among others, From House to House, Sir David Mitchell, who was a minister under Margaret Thatcher. Oddly enough, all he has to say about her fall in 1990 is that he refused to tell his local constituency association how he had voted in the first ballot - this is the Rosencrantz and Guilderstern school of historical writing. The book is privately published by The Memoir Club of Durham, and I suspect there may be some nuggets lying around in their warehouse - after all, nearly everyone has something interesting in their lives.

Simon Hoggart - Guardian

Lord Graham of Edmonton - From Tyne To Thames

Lord Graham dedicated his book to all those Labour Peers who
fought the good fight in the wilderness years under Margaret Thatcher.

AUTHOR

Born on Scotswood Road, Newcastle, in a time of hardship Edward
Graham began working for the Co - operative Movement in 1939. He joined the Royal Marines and
was badly wounded whilst preparing for D Day in May 1944. He served as Prime
Minister of the Tyneside Youth Parliament before going on to qualify in Secretarial
and Management skills at the Co-operative College.

In 1976 he achieved a BA through the Open University, who later awarded
him the honorary degree of Master of the University. Lord Graham became a councillor
in Enfield in 1960, going on to become Leader and served as Leader of the new
London Borough of Enfield upon its creation in 1964. During this time, he fought
his first Parliamentary election and in 1974 entered the Commons as Member for Edmonton,
while acting as National Secretary for the Co-operative Party.

During his parliamentary career, Lord Graham served as the Private
Parliamentary Secretary to Alan Williams, the Minister for Consumer Affairs in
the department headed by Shirley

Williams, and served as a Lords Commissioner to the Treasury
(Senior Whip), Opposition front bench spokesman on Sport, Defence and Northern
Ireland and Opposition Chief Whip from 1990-1997.

This is the story of a boy from depressed Newcastle who, despite
leaving school at 14, always knew he was capable of gaining a degree. After
achieving a BA through the Open University (becoming the first and only MP to
do so) Lord Graham rose to become the Opposition Chief Whip in The House Of
Lords and was invited by the Queen to become a Member of her Privy Council in
the House of Lords. Ennobled in 1983, his never-failing enthusiasm for
political life makes him a fascinating and incisive chronicler of the inner
workings of the House of Lords, and the book is rounded off with affectionate
pen portraits of many of the friends and colleagues with whom he shared his parliamentary
years. He remains an eloquent and passionate member of the Second Chamber, where
he is currently enjoying life and continuing to play an important role in major
debates.

Lord Graham recounts his experiences of growing up in poverty as
the eldest of five children, his service in the Royal Marines where he was
badly wounded by friendly fire and his advancement up the ladder of the
Co-operative Movement where he received the greatest honour the Co-op can
bestow, becoming President of Congress. He remembers with gratitude all those who
have helped him throughout his career.

A life-long member of the Labour Party, Lord Graham reveals an
intimate view of the wilderness years of Conservative Government and pays
tribute to the dedication of those Labour Peers who, in refusing to retire to
‘God’s Waiting Room’, carry on the fight, of course, via the usual channels.REVIEWS
A joy to read and highly instructive for budding whips. House Magazine

AUTHORBefore becoming Chairman of the Northwest
Development Agency Terry Thomas had a successful career in banking which
included 9 years as Managing Director of the Co-operative Bank, and 7 years as
President of the International Co-operative Banking Association. In An
Inclusive Community With Integrity Lord Thomas reflects upon his career and
gives his conclusions on corporate sustainability and longevity.

The Co-operative Bank is all about being a
brand; Terry Thomas was the first person to brand a bank with ethics. To
develop an effective brand is to ensure consumers associate it with a core set
of values so that they know what to expect whatever the product or service. He
turned the Bank into a highly focused and profitable business, occupying a
unique position in the market place.

After 25 years service with the Bank, he
retired and was looking forward to new challenges; but life does not always
turn out as planned. In July of 1999 he was preparing for a journey into London
when he suffered a stroke. The family rallied round. It is said that when one
person has a stroke the whole family has a stroke: Lord Thomas realised the
truth of this when he emerged a different man after the stroke and the family
absorbed the uncharacteristic changes of mood and intolerance during this
period.

An
Inclusive Community With Integrity tells how the guiding principles of Lord
Thomas have come into being, how they have been developed and influenced his
career. This is a fascinating memoir, well constructed and a pleasure to read.

REVIEWSLord Thomas if Macclesfield is one of the leading businessmen, environmentalists and regional ambassadors the north west has ever seen. Macclesfield Express

‘Tell the truth then you can remember what you said.’ was drilled
into David Trippier from a very early age. It is a maxim that stayed with him
for the rest of his life and in Lend Me Your Ears the author tells the ‘truth’
about his time in politics, business and the military.

David Trippier started his career with the
family stock broking firm and entered politics in the late 1960s. In 1979 he
was elected as MP for Rossendale and was MP for the new constituency of
Rossendale and Darwen from 1983 to 1992. In 1982 he was appointed Parliamentary
Private Secretary to Kenneth Clarke, Minister for Health. He was appointed
Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party in 1990. He had the good fortune to
be in the right job at the right time during one of the most dramatic periods
in recent political history.

Away from politics, be was commissioned as
an officer in the Royal Marines Reserves in which he served for twenty-one
years. In 1996 he was appointed Honorably Colonel of the Royal Marine Reserves
in the North West of England. The author describes his business, military and
family life as well as his friendship with Prince Charles in the lighthearted
way that has always enabled him to laugh at himself.

Sir David was knighted by the Queen in
1992. He is married and had three sons. His wife, Lady Ruth Trippier, is a
practicing barrister on the Northern Circuit.

Seek Fairer Skies
is the record of a long and distin­guished
career in politics with insights into Westminster and The House of Lords behind
the scenes, the array of characters that the author has encountered, along with
the political wrangles. Roy also describes his upbringing in Wales, when it was
at the heart of the coal mining industry, and his family, whose support has been
constant throughout.

The author charts his
rise from humble beginnings as a coal miner in the village of Pontllanfraith, where
his involvement with the Labour Party began, to Westminster and the House of Lords.
What becomes apparent whilst turning the pages of his memoirs is that Roy Hughes
is a man of strong principles and beliefs with a fierce loyalty to the people of
Wales. This is a point of view that is echoed by his peers and colleagues, all of
whom hold him in high regard.

Written in an honest
and unassuming vein Seek Fairer Skies is not merely the story of one man,
but in addition reveals the social and political history of Newport and South Wales.

Roy made his way through
the Trade Union movement to Westminster, when in 1966 he was elected Member of
Parliament for Newport. Throughout hi thirty-one years in the House of Commons he
was involved in a number of significant issues including income policy. Vietnam
and the European movement, as well as local matters

Roy's involvement in today's issues is
now in the House of Lords, where in 1997 he was made a Life Peer and took the title
of Lord Islwyn, after the name of the mountain, Mynyddislwyn, which overlook hi
home village of Pontllanfraith. He has fought for miner's compensation and has been
outspoken over the abolition of the steel industry in South Wales.

A life long lover of
rugby and cricket, Roy is a life member of Newport RFC, Vice President of Crawshay's
RFC and Vice President of Glamorgan County Cricket Club. Roy now resides in Gwent
with his wife Marion.